Romanian Royal Navy

[dorupantos]

At the begining of the WW2 the Romanian Royal Navy was the powerfull navy in the Black Sea area exepting Soviet Navy . The RRN faught against the more powerfull Soviet Navy with succes during WW2 until 23 august 1944 ,when after then armistice the soviets ,the ships were taken by the USSR , considered war damages .
The RRN consists of a fleet of four large destroyers : two new destroyers build in Italy "Regele Ferdinand" and "Regina Maria"(King Ferdinand and Queen Marry in english) and two older destroyers build also in Italy "Marasti" and "Marasesti''(ex. italian Nibbio and Sparviero),one modern minelayer ''Amiral Murgescu",four gunboats made in France used like minesweepers and escorts to convois ,three submarines "Delfinul","Marsuinul" and "Rechinul",old large torpedoboats ,new vosper and gusto torpedoboats , seven river monitors and a lot of auxiliary ships like "Constanta" a submarine depot ship,"King Carol" minelayer,"Romania" transport ship,etc.

[dorupantos]

These are photos of romanian "Marasti" class destroyer including the former italian Aquila,Falco, Nibbio and Sparviero, also the spanish destroyers Ceuta and Melilla .

[dorupantos]

picures ff romanian destroyers "Marasti" and "Marasesti"

[dorupantos]

another pictures with "Marasti'' class destroyer of the Romanian Royal Navy

[dorupantos]

Modern destroyers of the Romanian Royal Navy in ww2 build in Neapole in Italy
"Regele Ferdinand" and "Regina Maria"(King Ferdinand and Queen Marry) . After they where taken by the soviets they where renamed Lihoy and Letuchy .

[dorupantos]

Here are the pics of the three romanian submarines "Delfinul"(the Dolphin),"Marsuinul" and ''Rechinul"(the Shark) and also some italian midget submarines who served in romanian royal navy .

[dorupantos]

Romanian gunboats serving in ww2 : "Eugen Stihi",''Remus Lepri","Ghiculescu" and "Dumitrescu". Romania buy these four gunboats from France after ww1 and they served in ww2 like minesweepers and escorts .
The last photo , the gunboat "Eugen Stihi" , is taken in present in Mangalia shipyard (the authorities want to make it museum-ship).

[dorupantos]

Romanian Royal Navy topedoboats-convoi escort : Naluca,Vijelia,Vartejul,Viforul,Zmeul,Zborul and Fulgerul . Romania received these ships after ww1 from austro-hungary . In ww2 there were in service "Zborul" and "Naluca".

[dorupantos]

In WW2 Romanian Royal Navy has also motortopedoboats :Vijelia,Vantul,Viscolul,Vulcanul and Viforul . They are made in england by Vosper also in Italy by Gusto.

[steve roberts]

Hi There. You sound very proud of your countries naval heritage.Being an ex-sailor,and in submarines,your subs interest me.Are they ex-U-boats or early soviet boats,or posibly even of italian origin? Regards Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

Romania has during WW2 an powerfull Danube fleet who fight succesfully against soviets .The Danube fleet consists in seven large monitors modernised from ww1 :Bratianu, Lahovary,Catargiu,Kogalniceanu,Basarabia,Bucovina and Ardeal .

[dorupantos]

This is the submarine-depot ship "Constanta" who offered suplies to romanian subs .

[dorupantos]

These are some pics of romanian royal navy's minelayers :Amiral Murgescu,Aurora,Carol I,Dacia and also the troup transport ship Romania.

[sourdough]

Very interesting! I don't think I have seen anything like those monitors before.
Thanks for posting! Jim

[dorupantos]

And not to the end of romanian royal navy in ww2 the most succesfully and modern ship of the navy , the minelayer "Amiral Murgescu" . This ship has participating to all minelayng actions in Black Sea and shot down 12 soviet planes .Armament : 2 naval and antiaircraft gun 102 mm,2 antiaircraft rheinmetall 37mm,2 canons oerlikon 20mm,2 twin machineguns 13,2mm and 2 mine launchers about 135 mines maximum .
This ship was built entirely in Romania in Galatzi shipyard .

[dorupantos]

"The Dolphin"(Delfinul) was completed in Italy .The construction of Marsuinul and Rechinul begin in Italy and they was completed in Romania . Exepting the Dolphin , they take frew or no action against soviets . After 23 august 1944 they were captured by the soviets and only the Dolphin came back in early 1960 . Sorry for my poor english !

[steve roberts]

Hi Dorupantos. Dont worry your English is very good. Thank you for your information on the submarines,and all the naval pictures you have posted.Regards. Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

And now a little history . Amiral Murgescu (who gave the name to the most succesfull ship in Romanian Royal Navy in WW2) was the captain of "Randunica"-torpedo motorboat who sunk the turkish monitor "Duba Seifi" during the romanian independence war 1977 .

[dorupantos]

Romanian Kingdom has only one cruiser at the begining of the 19 century named "Elizabeta".

[dorupantos]

Gunboat ''Fulgerul" .

[dorupantos]

Other historic pics .

[mik43]

Hi Dorupantos

Excellent set of pix you've posted for all to see. Well done

Mik

[designeraccd]

GR8 pictures...very interesting! The "Miro" (a Polish contributor with 1000s of pics, who loves destroyers) of the Romanian Navy...thanks for posting! DFO :D:D:D

[Dave Hutson]

I will spend ages looking at these great pictures, thank you for posting them.

Particularly the Monitors - formidable vessels.

The only one I know of that we still have is the one in Portsmouth - Historical ships which was being refurbished when I visited several years ago.

Dave H

[Marek T]

"The Dolphin"(Delfinul) was completed in Italy .The construction of Marsuinul and Rechinul begin in Italy and they was completed in Romania ...
According to my papers DELFINUL was indeed built in Italy, but the other two were designed by IvS (Dutch design office established by Germans after WWI) and built at Galatz. The IvS was also responsible for design of MURGESCU and DEMOCRATIA class minesweepers.
But I am open to other opinions.

[dorupantos]

More pics from Romanian Royal Navy .

[dorupantos]

The royal yaht "Luceafarul"(ex. Nahlin) and the customs yaht "Carolus Primus" .

[dorupantos]

The first military ship of Romanian Kingdom was the gunboat "Romania" .

[dorupantos]

The Romanian royal navy ships are named with ''NMS''(HIS MAJESTY SHIP-in romanian 'Nava Majestatii Sale') like in Royal Navy (HMS) .

[dorupantos]

Romanian submarine Delfinul and the submarine-depot ship Constanta model at the Romanian Navy Museum - Constanta .

[dorupantos]

In this old photo you can see the gunboats "Romania" and "Fulgerul" between other old ships of the RRN .

[dorupantos]

Some old pics of the romanian training -ship the bric ''Mircea''.

[dorupantos]

Submarine DELFINUL returns from soviets in 1957 in a ''verry good shape''. The deep-manometer of DELFINUL the only piece that remain today from this sub, in prezent to Military Museum in Bucharest.

[dorupantos]

Model of the romanian training-ship ''Mircea''.

[dorupantos]

The training -ship bric "MIRCEA" after his restauration is serving untill today in romanian navy . Here are some recents pics of MIRCEA .

[dorupantos]

After WW1 Romania Kingdom buyed from France four gunboats: Fripponne(laid down 1916 in Lorient)-renamed LT.STIHI EUGEN, Impatiene (1916 Brest)-lt. DUMITRESCU, Chiffonne (1917 Lorient)-Lt. LEPRI REMUS and Mignone (1917 Brest)-LT. GHICULESCU .
The gunboat LEPRI REMUS was sunk accidentally by a romanian mine in 1940 in the Danube estuary . The other three gunboats were used like minesweepers and escorts during ww2 and the most succesfull action of them was participation to "Operation 60.000" when they escort the transport ships and barges with romanian and german troups during the evacuation of Odessa under the soviet aircraft and naval attacks ,and submarine mennace .
Ater august 1944 these rhree ships were captured by the soviets and renamed : stihi- AKHTUBA , ghiculescu-ANGARA and dumitrescu-ARAX . ARAX was scraped in 1946 and AKHTUBA-STIHI and ANGARA-GHICULESCU were returned to Romania . Ghiculescu was soon scrapped but EUGEN STIHI was many years in service like training ship and ocean research vessel and it is floating until today . The autorities intended to make this ship an museum-ship but it still rusts in Mangalia-harbour .
Gunboat LT. EUGEN STIHI -(1916-2010).

[dorupantos]

Dear MAREK T. you have right about the romanian ww2 subs, but the minelayer AMIRAL MURGESCU was an entirely romanian project . CETATEA ALBA(THE WHITE FORTRESS) ,the twin ship ,was never completed .
Also, the DEMOCRATIA class minesweepers apears after the war in the comunist period . Unfortunally i have few pics with DEMOCRATIA class minesweepers who served in SOCIALIST REPUBLIC of ROMANIA's NAVY .

[dorupantos]

The photo of a czehoslovakian river-minelayer that was used by Romanian Royal Navy for mining the Danube Estuary.

[dorupantos]

Return to history ! The ancestors of RRN destroyers MARASTI and MARASESTI (named after two great victories in WW1-1917 on the Moldavian front of the Romanian Army against German Army ) were the four italian destroyers AQUILA, SPARVIERO,FALCO and NIBBIO designated in first time for Regia Marina, the Italian Navy . SPARVIERO became MARASTI and NIBBIO -MARASESTI .Also AQUILA and FALCO was sold to spanish navy as in order,MELILLA and CEUTA .This class of ships were designated as "esploratore leggero" in italian leader flotilla ,aproaching to light cruisers .Initially they have three main guns in separate turrets ,two in front and one in the rear of the ship .They were modernized with four main guns in two twin turrets ,one in front and one at the rear .Pre WW2 the RRN destroyers received another turret with a single gun .

[Marek T]

Found this on the net sometime ago - on board Romanian destroyer MARASTI.

[dorupantos]

These are the sister ships to destroyers MARASTI and MARASESTI who were serving in spanish navy during and after civil war :MELILLA-ex.AQUILA and CEUTA-ex.FALCO .

[dorupantos]

The spanish Dictator Franco leaving destroyer CEUTA .

[dorupantos]

For MAREK T. i have some pictures from the operation 60.000 , the evacuation of Odessa including a pic of light antiaircraft guns of destroyer Marasti .

[Marek T]

Thanks - very interesting pictures. The last one is REGELE FERDINAND class, I believe?

[dorupantos]

Yes dear Marek .

[Asdrúbal el Bello]

These are the sister ships to destroyers MARASTI and MARASESTI who were serving in spanish navy during and after civil war :MELILLA-ex.AQUILA and CEUTA-ex.FALCO .

I think that there are a confusion. The right picture seems a Alsedo class destroyer.

The Alsedo (left) was launched in 1922.
The Ceuta (ex-Falco) (right) in 1919.

[astraltrader]

This is a better picture of the Spanish destroyer Ceuta [formerly Falco], which was kindly supplied to me by Alan [Benn]. :)

[dorupantos]

The destroyers of AQUILA or MARASTI class had the rear turret mounted high not dirrectly on the deck .So also CEUTA and MELILLA had the rear turret mounted high .

[CGRET]

Dorupantos,

Thank You!

For posting the Naval History of the Romanian Royal Navy. A lesson in Nautical History for all members to read.

Well Done.

Regards
Charles

[Asdrúbal el Bello]

The "Mistery" of the Melilla resolved. :D

When the Melilla reached Palma from Italy at 1937 was fitted fourth wooden fake fireplace, for confused her with the destroyer Velasco, Alsedo class. Hence it is my mistake.



As for the photographs of the destroyers, the letters are the initials of the names: A = Alseda, V = Velasco, L = Lazaga

[mik43]

Splendid thread DP, especially liked the pix of the MIRCEA. Do have any pix of her under full sail??

Mik

[dorupantos]

Dear MIK43 i'm not a great fan of these kind of ships(I'm an engineer and the ships need to have only engine) but i post for you another pics of bric "MIRCEA".

[dorupantos]

Maybe someone put some questions or i'm a victim of "confuzion" (everybody make mistakes ): some pics of brig "MIRCEA" presents a ship with three mast and other pics (older) with two mast . There is no confuzion ! There were two ships in the RRN named "MIRCEA" . In the romanian navy is a custom to rename the newest ships after the oldest or scraped or sunk ships like in other navies with more tradition like british navy, etc..Today the romanians navy frigates were named after Romanian's Royal Navy's destroyers in ww2 ."MIRCEA" with two mast was a clipper made of wood launch in 1882 i don't know where, and scrapped in 1939 . "MIRCEA" with three mast was launch in 1938 and is serving until today like training ship of the romanian's navy future captains .The second ship was made of steel and has a diessel-naval engine. The ship was built in the german shipyard "blohm&voss" and has like sister ships : Eagle-USA,Gorch-Foch-Germany,Sagres3-Portugal and Tovarisci-Ucraine (possible sold to Germany) .
The name of "MIRCEA" is the name of a romanian prince who fight against turcs with full succes .
In a old pic there is the first MIRCEA and in background the RRN destroyer MARASTI .

[steve roberts]

Oh boy Duropantos. Is you supply of photos old and present of your navey endless?? Keep them coming though,this is now a geat thread and you might find a few "Stolen for the Mystery ship quizz. Many Regards Steve.:):D:cool:

[dorupantos]

I'm verry happy because other guys like Asdrubal el Bello, Mik 43 and others navy enjoyers made a thread about they country navy . Also I'm sad because on the main page there are only eleven countries with great navies and others are posted to other navies . This is not a discrimination ? I hope that the administrator of this site allows all countries navies on the main page including all threads belonging that theme . I'd like to enter in main page of this forum in Polish navy,Spanish navy,Yugoslavian navy,Swedish navy etc.
Members of all countries ! Let's try to enjoy nice pics of ships and learn a little historry .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru. It depends on the nationalities of members wether they want to start a thread on their own navies.A lot of other navies you will find on the forum home page under Any other ships. Regards Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

Thank you verry much STEVE ,but it is not the problem of the administrator ?
For simplifying i'll stay on OTHER SHIPS . Once again thanks you .

[dorupantos]

Some submarine -hunters of the Romanian Royal Navy .

[dorupantos]

This is pic posted earlier. Destoroyer "MARASTI" in ENGLAND to the Royal fleet rewiew in 1938 or1939 with British flag .

[dorupantos]

I have made a mistake ! MAREK T is the leader of Polish warships not Mik43 . Towsends times SORRY !!!

[dorupantos]

Some pictures of RRN crewmen, sailors and offisers .

[dorupantos]

Subs RECHINUL and MARSUINUL and model of RECHINUL .

[dorupantos]

Subs RECHINUL and MARSUINUL and model of RECHINUL .
Helo Steve !

[dorupantos]

Royal yaht LUCEAFARUL ex NAHLIN .

[dorupantos]

Romanian Royal Navy has also loses . Here is the sinking of CAROL 1minelayer .

[mik43]

thanks for pix Doru, they're brilliant.

Mik

[dorupantos]

Old RRN gunboat ARGESUL .

[dorupantos]

Another old torpedoboat of the CAPITAN ROMANO class .At the beggining of the 20-CENTURY they were converted in surveillance ships .

[dorupantos]

CAPITAN ROMANO class had initially skeewer-torpedoes but later his armament remains the main gun and the machinegun .

[dorupantos]

The main gun of CAPITAN ROMANO is esposed in Constanta at the Romanian's Navy Museum .

[dorupantos]

The ancestor torpedoboat RANDUNICA was armed also with skeewer- torpedo .

[dorupantos]

Another pre-WW1 romanian torpedoboats.

[dorupantos]

The gunboat "Fulgerul" (the Lightning) had a displacement of 90 tones, a speed about 7 knots (so she were not so verry close to the speed of lightning) .Fulgerul was armed initially with a 87 mm Krupp gun in an armoured turret, later the turret has no armour because the gunners can't see well the target and more later was fitted with two 57 mm guns and two 11,5 machineguns .
This gunboat was launched at "Forges and chantierres de la Mediteranee"-shipyard near Toulon in 1873 .Captain John Murgescu, future admiral , receive the task to bring this ship in Romania . The gun cames in country separatly on the Danube because Fulgerul had to pass turkish straits and Romania was not independent yet .In the turkish customs documents the turkish officer classified this gunboat without a gun "caic" .
Efective combat actions of this gunboat were during the independence war 1977-1978 when FULGERUL with another ships gunboats ROMANIA , STEVEN THE GREAT and the torpedoboat RANDUNICA (THE SWALLOW) were patroling and bombing the Danube enemy shore .After war becames school-ship untill first brig MIRCEA arrives .
She remains in Galatzy shipyard untill 80's when the of the YOUTH of COMUNIST PARTY decided to scrapped this historic ship and to sold the metal of the gunboat .
In the first picture is Fulgerul with armoured turret and in the second ,with no armour ,and gunboat Romania during Independence War .

[dorupantos]

NAVAL BATTLE OF TUZLA
In 21 june 1941 romanian submarine DELFINUL detects soviet ships at 60 miles from Constanta -harbour aproching .That was a powerfull soviet navy force including cruiser VOROSILOV, six large destroyers including MOSKVA, HARKOV, TASKENT and others , also a few smaller ships . A bigger force lead by the soviet battleship PARISKAIA COMUNA was waiting not so far to exploit a possible succes of the first force .
The VOROSILOV group send destroyers MOSKVA and HARKOV in recognition and at 3,58 am they open fire on the harbour and PALAS raillway station in Constanta burnig an amonition train and some fuel tanks .
Romanian Royal Navys destroyers REGINA MARIA and MARASESTI were at anchor at Cape Midia .After alarm they sail at 4,12am in parallel pozition with soviet destroyers and open fire . The soviet destroyers were better armed , they had 130 mm main guns and romanian destroyers only 120mm guns .At4,20am destroyer HARKOV was hit and another projectile broke the MOSKVA's mast . At 4,22 opens fire the coastal artillery , the german guns of battery TIRPITZ . The two hit soviet destroyers turn back and had launched smoke .
REGINA MARIA cease fire , MARASESTI keep fireing also the german coastal guns .In retreat MOSKVA hit a mine laid by AMIRAL MURGESCU minelayer and sunk .The romanians send two motor torpedoboats NMS VIFORUL and NMS VEDENIA (built by VOSPER) to finish HARKOV but they have not succes .At returning to harbour they pick out from water the survivors of MOSKVA and bring them into harbour .
The soviet disaster doesn't end yet . HARKOV joined cruiser VOROSILOV and also hit a mine laid by the romanians and both ships were badlly damaged .
After this battle the soviets doesn't have the courage to aproch Romanian's coast until 23 august 1944 when the armistice was sign . Romanian Royal Navy move forward his actions toward Crimeea peninsula beeing attacked only by soviet submarines or by soviet bombers or torpedoplanes .

[dorupantos]

I hope that everyone who have a question about RRN put it in this thread so I can answer it .

[dorupantos]

Sorry the soviets don't aprove .

[dorupantos]

I want to present a picture of a romanian VOSPER but see the previously message!

[dorupantos]

Pictures from Romanian Navy Museum in Constanta . I invite everyone hwo loves romanian ships to visit this museum .

[dorupantos]

In the yard of Romanian Navy Museum there is a small boat . This is an armoured river gunboat BK-class brought by soviets in 1945 .

[dorupantos]

I was indebted about Romanian Royal Navy's Vospers torpedoboats ! In RRN served three Vosper-class torpedoboats. They were purchased from Great Britain befor starting WW2 . They were named : Viscolul, Vijelia and Viforul after ancestors torpedoboats haved after WW1.
-displacement 35 tones
-two 533 mm torpedotubes
-eight 8 mm antiaircraft machineguns
-four antisub bombs
-speed 40 knots
Two of them took place at Tuzla naval battle and all of them served as escorts to convois to and from Odessa .

[dorupantos]

Does annyone has this book ?

[dorupantos]

Sorry I was to fast ! Does anyone has this book ?

[dorupantos]

I wan't to add some informations concerning Romanian Royal Navy's Danube river-monitors . The first four were austro-hungarian built and purchased by Romanian Kingdom before WW1 . They are BRATIANU, KOGALNICEANU,CATARGIU and LAHOVARY . They belong to the same class of monitors and they have each:
-680 tones displacement
-three 120 mm main guns
-one 76 mm gun
-two 47 antiaircraft guns
-two 13,2 machineguns
-speed 12 knots
Monitor ARDEAL (ex. austrohungarian TEMES and after beeing captured by soviets in august 1944 renamed AZOV) had :
-displacement 450 tones
-two 120 mm main guns
-one 90 mm gun
-two 47 mm antiaircraft guns
-speed 10 knots
Monitor BUCOVINA (ex. austrohungarian SAVA and after august 1944 renamed by soviets IZMAIL) had :
-550 tones displacement
-two 120 mm main guns
-two 66 mm guns
-two 47 mm antiaircraft guns
-speed 12 knots
Monitor BASARABIA (ex.austrohungarian INN and after beeing captured by soviets named KERCI) had:
-displacement 560 tones
-two 120 mm mainguns
-two 47 mm antiaircraft guns
-speed 12 knots
The last three monitors are beeing received by Romania from Austro-Hungary like war repparations after WW1 .

[dorupantos]

After WW1 Romania receives like war reparations from Austro-Hungary seven large torpedoboats (highsea torpedoboats) : TB-74 VIFORUL striken in 1932 , TB-75 VARTEJUL striken in 1932 , TB-80 VIJELIA striken in 1932 , TB-81 SBORUL captured by soviets in august 1944 and renamed MUSSON , TB-82 NALUCA sunk at the beggining of august 1944 in Constanta harbour by soviet planes , TB-83 SMEUL(captured and renamed by soviets TOROS) and TB-84 FULGERUL sunk in 1922 in Bosphorus strait during a storm .

[mik43]

Keep on with the excellent work Doru!!

Mik

[dorupantos]

For MIK43 !
I have started my presentation (not my work, I'm not a historian!) wrongly ! My first intention was to present all Romanian Navy's ship with pics, history and technical data(displacement, speed ,guns ...etc.) but I enjoy to much this forum up against other naval forums and beeing my first forum I participate , somethimes my speed to post pics was too big . Thank you verry much for encouragement and I hope not to dissapoint !

[dorupantos]

HEY MIK !
Where is our "submariner" ?

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.I am here. You did not answer wether your navy has any plans to replace your Kilo class Submarine,as she is getting a little old now. Regards Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

I salute you Vice Commodore ! As I know in Europe was economic crisis , in Romania there is always crisis or lack of money ! About years RN was incappable to buy new batteries for the only one submarine of RN (the only President of Romania ,that I love , was captain in RN) .Do you wait that RN buy another submarines , and for what ? Unfortunally the crew of DELFINUL make his training at shore .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Thank you for your reply.I thought from your Navies history of operating submarines,that it would not want to let the tradition die!I know we are all in an economic crisis,but there are many used subs for sale at reasonable prices around the world,like Argentina,Germany,Israel,to name but a few.Regards Steve.;)

[dorupantos]

DEAR SUBMARINER !
I will post for you all the missions in Black Sea of sub Delfinul in WW2 ! I don't know another allied or axis submarine take missions under so heavy bombarding and sub-hunting .

[dorupantos]

At the beggining of 1941 RRN has only one operational submarine and that was DELFINUL and it may be used with lot of caution . Soviets had only in Black Sea 47 subs but this only one romanian sub forced the soviets to allocate lot of ressources for antisubmarine warfare .
DELFINUL had durring the fights two captains : cpt.Costachescu and cpt.Lungu who commanded by rotation the sub (by rotation because cpt. Costachescu had heart dissease but he never give up the command of beloved sub).
Cpt.Costachescu lead first mission of DELFINUL between 22-27june 1941 and about 60 miles from Constanta reported to headquarters that a massive soviet fleet lead by cruiser Vorosilov is aproching Constanta .This was the beggining of battle of Tuzla when soviets lost destroyer Moskva and cruiser Vorosilov and destroyer Harkov were badly damaged .
Between 10-20 july, DELFINUL and cpt. Lungu in command , patroled near coast of Crimeea and Novorisisk , with mission to find the strenght of soviet antiaircraft and antisub defence in the area . On 16 july the giro-compass was out of action and DELFINUL was forced to turn back home .At 19 july the submariners saw at surface a Maliutka submarine and tried to atack with the gun but the furious sea and two soviet hidroplanes forced DELFINUL to dive.
In the third mission12-20 august ,lead by cpt.Costachescu, the battle order was to attack convois near Odessa .DELFINUL has few chances because the area was intenssly patroled by soviet planes and patrolboats . As turning back home DELFINUL was attacked by soviet sub M-33 and was hit at rear by a torpedo and needed repair .
In the fourth mission between 3-19 september DELFINUL had taped a soviet cruiser (probablly Komintern) and tried to attack . DELFINUL needed to maneuver carefully between underwater rocks and lost contact . At the return DELFINUL was attacked by planes and submarine hunters .
In the mission between 2-7 nov near Ialta DELFINUL fires torpedo and sunk an oiltanker (about 1800 tones) but the escorts of the tanker droped 90 antisub grenades over romanian sub without hit . DELFINUL manage to escape .
Next mission was to cut soviet comunications between Batumi and Istambul but failed because stormy weather .
In 1942 , during18-30 mai ,lt.commodore Lungu (cpt. Lungu was promoted) and DELFINUL patroled near turkish coast but didn't hunt annything .
The last mission between 25june-3july was near Ialta . At 27 june DELFINUL was discovered by soviet planes who dropped over 240 bombs. One fuel tank was hit and cracked .Afternoon apearred soviet subhunters and cpt. Costachescu ordered to stop engines . At 1 july DELFINUL was surprised at surface by soviet planes.Some bullets and projectiles dammaged the command . As that was not enough another wawe of planes and subhunters attacked . The crew counted 268 bombs and antisubgrenades nearly the sub .
Back in Constanta DELFINUL needs capital repairs and remain in dock till 23 august when soviets confiscated the sub . DELFINUL turns back in country in 1957 more damaged lije in WW2 !
In photo is cpt. Costachescu with few crewmen .

[dorupantos]

LAST WARRIOR FROM DELFINUL SUBMARINE !
The last warrior of DELFINUL allive is Rear Admiral Traian Anderson . During WW2 he served on Romanian Royal Navy's destroyer MARASESTI, later on submarine DELFINUL like chief-mechanic and participates at missions in Black Sea, Crimeea and Bosphorus , and at the end of war had served on destroyer Regina Maria . Traian Anderson graduated the Highschool for Submariners in Germany . After war was teacher to naval school about naval engines .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru. Thank you for your last two posts.Full of good information.What a story those men had to tell! At least they tried their best to carry the war to Russia.Thank you again. Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

FOR STEVE !
Think that propportion in submarines between RRN and SN was 1 to 47 opperational submarines . As I know there were 7500 candidates for 32 crewmen of DELFINUL . They were the best of the best !

[dorupantos]

Technical data of Romanian Royal Navy's Marasti class destroyer ( NMS MARASTI &NMS MARASESTI)
-displacement 1751 tones (almost light cruisers !)
-speed 34 knots (verry good for 20 'th ship built)
Armement after modernisation before WW2:
-5x 20mm main guns
-4x76mm antiaircraft guns
-2x13mm machineguns
-4x18 inch torpedoes (2x2)
-30 mines after equiping for minelaying

[dorupantos]

A verry old foto of destroyer MARASTI .

[dorupantos]

Correctly at armament of destroyer MARASTI is 5x120 mm main guns . Of course speccialists had discoverred the taping mistake .

[dorupantos]

For MIK 43 ! More pics of brig MIRCEA and the mariners-baptise in Romanian Navy (I think in other navys there are some baptise rituals for young seamen) .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.This is the same ceremony most navies do when "Crossing the Line" in other words when a ship crosses the Equator,all sailors who have done so before,must appear before the court of King Neptune,and be properly indoctronated.It is a very amussing time for all on the ship!!:D Regards Steve.

[mik43]

Thanks Doru!!

Mik

[dorupantos]

In Romanian Army I'm sub-lieutenant (in reserve). How can I promote in this forum and how could I reach a supperior rank (I don't wanna be an admiral , but I hope only lieutenant !)?

[dorupantos]

I'm sub-lieutenant since 22 years !!!

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Just keep posting and answering posts,you will make you promotion happen,I promise Regards Steve.:)

[dorupantos]

I keep posting , but after another 25 years I will rettired SUB-LIEUTENANT !

[astraltrader]

You will reach the rank of Lt in another 21 posts [provided you avoid posting duplicated pictures!] ;)

[John Odom]

Promotion does occur. I just checked, last time I noticed I was a lieutenant. Now I see I am a Captain! I guess the ranks are fun, but they are not important to me.

[astraltrader]

Doru - please see my PM to you. :):)

[dorupantos]

I'm a hoodoo to you ! I tried to post but your server is like our RN cruiser,destroyer or frigate(who knows?) .My NET is OK.
I'm happy that as a novice in this forum I gave ideas for members, like history of national navy or from posting in other threads . Battleships are beautifull all around the world (for versants) and that's the reason I have joined this forum !

[dorupantos]

I have found three more pictures (Romanian Navys ships pics are verry rare bellieve me!) of only true cruiser of Romania cruiser ELISABETA .

[dorupantos]

Last two photos that I found of first brig MIRCEA !

[dorupantos]

Some old pics of Romanian harbours at the beginning of 20'century . Romania had a great tradition in shipping but few people know that !

[dorupantos]

And now are the pics coming !(one click more and I have to write twice!)

[dorupantos]

The Royal Yacht ORIENT.

[dorupantos]

Destroyer REGINA MARIA in Constanta camouflage painted .

[mik43]

Thanks Doru

Regarding the last post she certainly merges into the background!!!

Mik

[dorupantos]

You are perfectlly right ! Was war and all warships were painted in camouflage . In that picture there are three ships around Regina Maria destroyer !

[dorupantos]

Verry rare pics of Romanian Royal Navy monitor I.C.BRATIANU !

[ekd]

Return to history ! The ancestors of RRN destroyers MARASTI and MARASESTI (named after two great victories in WW1-1917 on the Moldavian front of the Romanian Army against German Army ) were the four italian destroyers AQUILA, SPARVIERO,FALCO and NIBBIO designated in first time for Regia Marina, the Italian Navy . SPARVIERO became MARASTI and NIBBIO -MARASESTI .Also AQUILA and FALCO was sold to spanish navy as in order,MELILLA and CEUTA .This class of ships were designated as "esploratore leggero" in italian leader flotilla ,aproaching to light cruisers .Initially they have three main guns in separate turrets ,two in front and one in the rear of the ship .They were modernized with four main guns in two twin turrets ,one in front and one at the rear .Pre WW2 the RRN destroyers received another turret with a single gun .

Dorupantos,

Do you know where the shipyard location is for the launch of "AQUILA" in the photograph here in this post #39?

[dorupantos]

Dear EDWARD ,
AQUILA class-destroyers were launched at PATTISON-shipyard at NAPLES
(NEAPOLE in italian -NAPOLI in romanian) in 1915 .
Thank you for your interest about old destroyers .

[dorupantos]

Pictures of models of first brig MIRCEA and gunboat ROMANIA at Romanian Navy Museum in Constanta .

[dorupantos]

The Romanian Royal Navy had big plans , but WW2 beggins imminnent . Here is a drawing of three romanian pocket battleships that should be ordered to our traditional allied and friend Itally , named MIHAI VITEAZUL-class.Unfortunally WW2 start too early and the project cancels (think what was Kriegsmarine with all ships they planed to do , in Atlantic , and also RRN with three pocket-battleships fighting against soviets)!

[colombamike]

The Romanian Royal Navy had big plans , but WW2 beggins imminnent . Here is a drawing of three romanian pocket battleships that should be ordered to our traditional allied and friend Itally , named MIHAI VITEAZUL-class.Unfortunally WW2 start too early and the project cancels (think what was Kriegsmarine with all ships they planed to do , in Atlantic , and also RRN with three pocket-battleships fighting against soviets)!

You are sure ?
I doubt seriously ! :confused:

This drawing is for italian study of 1926-1930 (during the "battleships building holidays").

This italian design is the answer for the trend at this moment : 1924-1931....to counter heavy cruiser design (ie. French & british design:rolleyes:) & german pocket battleships designs
;)

[astraltrader]

I agree Mike I can never see that the RRN would have been able to afford 3 pocket battleships.

A nice dream though! :)

[dorupantos]

BOTH OF YOU ARE RIGHT !
But between WW1 and WW2 Romanian gouvernement indeed intented to enlarge the fleet with pocket battleships ( King Carol the second has german ancestors !!! , and pocketbattleships were cheaper than large battleships) and with two or three light cruisers based on italian plans .
Dear COLOMBMIKE , the drawing is doubtless an italian study but was similar to pocketbattleship that Romanian Kingdom wanted at that time from italians .
Of course , dear ASTRALTRADER , you have also right ! I put myself a question , how cood romanians pay these ships ?
Nice dreams , but if Romanian Royal Navy haved in WW2 ( that begans too soon for us ) we could sustain a naval offensive war against soviets !

[astraltrader]

Much as I like the thought of 3 RRN pocket battleships having a go at the Russians it has to be pointed out that they were our allies at the time so we [the RN] might well have found ourselves with 3 more dangerous ships to contend with!!

[dorupantos]

In WW1 ITALY and ROMANIA were your allies ! In WW2 , ITALY from 1943 and ROMANIA from 1944 were also your allied . From august 1944 to the end of war more than 200.000 romanian soldiers fallen against nazi Germany ! Romanians were whenever your allies but at beggining of WW2 the pollitical situation was different ( please remember NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN and his policy!) . Romania lost in1940 a part of Transilvania-province to Axis and also lost half of Moldavia ( Basarabia-province) to soviets (until today!). We were alone in this corner of the Europe and we needed to recuperate our territories !

[dorupantos]

That is the schema of Battle of Cape Tuzla in 1941 . It is verry close to historic reallity !

[astraltrader]

In WW1 ITALY and ROMANIA were your allies ! In WW2 , ITALY from 1943 and ROMANIA from 1944 were also your allied . From august 1944 to the end of war more than 200.000 romanian soldiers fallen against nazi Germany ! Romanians were whenever your allies but at beggining of WW2 the pollitical situation was different ( please remember NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN and his policy!) . Romania lost in1940 a part of Transilvania-province to Axis and also lost half of Moldavia ( Basarabia-province) to soviets (until today!). We were alone in this corner of the Europe and we needed to recuperate our territories !

I am well aware of all this Doru, I was just making the point that if these mythical ships were used against Russia during WW2 we would have ended up on the other side once Operation Barbarossa had been launched in 1941.

Anyway it is all academic as they were never likely to have been built.

[dorupantos]

Verry rare pic of gunboat FULGERUL .

[dorupantos]

Also verry rare pics of historic Romanian Royal Navy's gunboat "Lt.Commodore EUGEN STIHI" laid down in 1916 and still floating in Mangalia-harbour!

[dorupantos]

Sailors loading torpedo on submarine-depot ship CONSTANTA (that could be also named "Delfinul "-depot ship!).

[Antoine]

And now a little history . Amiral Murgescu (who gave the name to the most succesfull ship in Romanian Royal Navy in WW2) was the captain of "Randunica"-torpedo motorboat who sunk the turkish monitor "Duba Seifi" during the romanian independence war 1977 .

The motor boat "Randunica" was transferred to Russian in 1877 (during the Russo-Turkish war), renamed "Tsarevich" and commanded by lieutenant Dubasov sunk the monitor "Seifi". Major Murgescu was a participant of this attack.

[dorupantos]

Does annyone have pics of TIRPITZ-Battery near Constanta (in WW2)?
Germans enforced Romanian coast with six 280mm naval guns placed in two batteries . The most famous was TIRPITZ-Battery south of Constanta at Lazu-Agigea and the other was LANGE BRUNO-Battery in Mamaia in north , both with three guns . Both fired on soviet destroyers Moskva and Harkov in batlle of Tuzla .
Tirpitz-battery was served by 600 mens and was protected by mines , 88mm AA guns , 75 antitankguns and also had a subunit of armoured .
I have just a few pics of some british and french-built romanian coastal guns in WW2 .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.There are photos somewhere on the forum,I believe the batteries were made up of turrets from Russian Gangut class ships...Regards Steve.

[dorupantos]

Commander you are perfectly right ! DUBASOV lead Randunica torpedoboot , sorry , i post a lot from memory and after 40 years , memory come down a little .

[dorupantos]

Dear Steve , if GANGUT-battleship had so small guns you have right .

[dorupantos]

More pics of gunboat FULGERUL .

[dorupantos]

Romanian Royal Navy's first four river-monitors (Danube-monitors)" Bratianu","Lahovary","Kogalniceanu" and "Catargiu" were Bodrog-class monitors .Pics of sister ship BODROG .What remains today from this formidable class of river-monitors in the last two pics !

[dorupantos]

The yaht CAROLUS PRIMUS of Danube Navigation Board .

[dorupantos]

Ships "Emperor Traian" , "Romania" and "Prince Mircea" .

[Antoine]

Hi Doru.There are photos somewhere on the forum,I believe the batteries were made up of turrets from Russian Gangut class ships...Regards Steve.

Steve!

You can read about the faith of Russian dreadnoughts' guns in this thread: http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3214.

[designeraccd]

Thanks for ALL the GR8 pics of these-in West, at least over her in USA-mostly unknown ships....very INTERESTING!! DFO :D:D

[dorupantos]

Another pics of first brig MIRCEA !

[dorupantos]

Naval officers of Romanian Royal Navy in parade uniforms (19' century , probably onboard of cruiser ELISABETA).

[dorupantos]

"MANNY THANKS" to one of the multitude of Forum Moderators (TONCLASS) for MODDIFIEING TITLE OF THE THREAD .
Till the end of WW2 Romania was a kingdom and has four kings loved by people : Carol the First , Ferdinand , Carol the Second and Michael . The navy was named ROMANIAN ROYAL NAVY and the ships NMS (His Majesty Ship). Officers and sailors were the elite of Romanian Royal Army (along with the pilots). Heroes will turn in their graves after they found that they served in PRE WW2 NAVY not in ROMANIAN ROYAL NAVY.
I'm waiting that this FORUM-DESTROYER to change also the pics . I suggest him next pictures !

[keblin]

Come on you Moderators!

Comply with this great gentleman's request.

And do it soon! Please.

It should be properly called "Romanian Royal Navy"....... Not 'ROMANIAN NAVY-Pre WW2.'

..

[dorupantos]

Dear PRE-TONCLASS-ADMIRAL or whatever are you !
BRING ME BACK MY ROMANIAN ROYAL NAVY !!!

[astraltrader]

As you can see the thread has now been changed back to its original title.

Can we please move on?

Many thanks.

[tonclass]

"MANNY THANKS" to one of the multitude of Forum Moderators (TONCLASS) for MODDIFIEING TITLE OF THE THREAD .
Till the end of WW2 Romania was a kingdom and has four kings loved by people : Carol the First , Ferdinand , Carol the Second and Michael . The navy was named ROMANIAN ROYAL NAVY and the ships NMS (His Majesty Ship). Officers and sailors were the elite of Romanian Royal Army (along with the pilots). Heroes will turn in their graves after they found that they served in PRE WW2 NAVY not in ROMANIAN ROYAL NAVY.
I'm waiting that this FORUM-DESTROYER to change also the pics . I suggest him next pictures !

See my PM !!

[dorupantos]

I'M BACK !
First of all I wanna beg PARDON to Forum Moderators , especially to one of them ! Sometimes I tend to be too acid .
Secondly, if my thread is not respecting the rules of this forum , please just remove it without problem .
Best Regards,
DORU

[Dave Hutson]

Hello Doru,

Glad to see you have your thread title back. I don't think anyone took offence. Some small details sometimes get lost in the translation and I know the Moderators make changes for the best of reasons and hopefully in the full interest of the forum - I for one am enjoying immensely your posts - that was and is some Navy to be proud of as I am sure you are.

You keep posting and I will keep looking.

REgards

Dave H

[dorupantos]

This is my beloved ship from Romanian Royal Navy , minelayer AMIRAL MURGESCU . "Amiral murgescu " leaded the minelaying arround Romanian coast and shot down more soviet planes than other romanian ship(12) . As other ships , after 23 august 1944 , the minelayer was "captured" by the soviets but never returned in Romania . In Soviet Navy , "AMIRAL MURGESCU"-renamed DON , was in the first phase minelayer and after training-ship .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Welcome back.You sound almost broken hearted that the Russian's kept your minelayer.Keep posting....Regards Steve.;)

[dorupantos]

Dear STEVE !
Two friends , romanian and soviet , did a business . Romanian proposed to split the benefit fifty-fifty , but soviet refuses ! He said we will split benefit brotherly !!!

[Vegaskip]

Hi Doru, nice ship, I prefer her in the first picture. Keep posting, it is an interesting thread, and your English is exelent

Regards

[dorupantos]

Dear VEGASKIP !
My english is so and so ( comci-comca). I speak an approximate english but I don't have whrite from manny years untill posting in this forum , so please excuse some grammar errors !
Doru

[dorupantos]

Picture from the yard of Romanian Navy Museum . From the left side , turret of Bratianu-class monitor , turret of King Ferdinand-class destroyer and the third seems to be a turret from Amiral Murgescu-class(?)(a sister ship "Cetatea Alba"(White Fortress) was never complete) .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Great pic. Is that A German Radio-Controlled glide bomb is see in the front of that Picture? Regards.. Steve.

[dorupantos]

I visited some years ago Romanian Navy Museum and I found manny interesting and strange things there . As I know Romanian Royal Airforce doesn't used during WW2 radio-guided bombs , neither the germans during actions in Black Sea . Probablly there is a copy made by "Big Brother" of a german radio-guided bomb like manny other warfare made "original" in Soviet Union (example the AK-47 (sturmgewehr),the car LADA 1500 (FIAT124), etc.) .Soviets taked technollogy and improve it .

[dorupantos]

Gunboat BISTRITA (19 century)

[dorupantos]

Gunboat GRIVITA .

[dorupantos]

Romanian ships in Galatz : gunboats GRIVITA,ROMANIA,ALEXANDER the GOOD and FULGERUL .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Thank you for your reply.I should have known it could have been a Russian "Bears" copy.The German version of this played havoc,with British and American ships at Anzio!...Regards. Steve.

[dorupantos]

Gunboat ALEXANDER the GOOD .

[dorupantos]

Yacht STEVEN THE GREAT .

[dorupantos]

In Romanian Royal Navy served in 19'th century also torpedoboats built by YARROW ! In this pics are torpedoboats HAWK and EAGLE (SOIMUL and VULTURUL) .

[dorupantos]

Destroyer REGINA MARIA ,representing Romanian Royal Navy, participated at British Fleet Rewiew in 1937 .

[dorupantos]

First brig MIRCEA in color .

[dorupantos]

Torpedoboat NMS NALUCA (ex-austrohungarian TB-82) .

[dorupantos]

Ship ROMANIA used in WW2 like auxiliarry-cruiser and for transport troops .

[dorupantos]

Another romanian historic ship , EMPEROR TRAIAN (IMPARATUL TRAIAN). The photo was taken probably in Odessa .

[dorupantos]

Verry rare photo of RRN gunboat FULGERUL .

[Antoine]

Another romanian historic ship , EMPEROR TRAIAN (IMPARATUL TRAIAN). The photo was taken probably in Odessa .

This photo had taken at Sevastopol.

[Antoine]

Some photos of the Romanian Navy of 1930s:

[dorupantos]

Dear ANTOINE , you have a full pocket of RRN photos ?

[dorupantos]

To FM , your server is on strike ?

[keblin]

Another romanian historic ship , EMPEROR TRAIAN (IMPARATUL TRAIAN). The photo was taken probably in Odessa .

Doru, what is the significance of the four red arrows pencilled in, on this photo?

[dorupantos]

Dear KEBLIN ,
The red arrows on this picture is not my creation but , in this picture there are four romanian ships : Emperor Traian , Carol 1 and Dacia(in the future minelayers) and in the verry background ship Romania .

[keblin]

Thanks, that may be the reason.

[Antoine]

Romanian Danube warships of the World War I:

(Can you identify them?)

[Antoine]

Romanian monitors under the Soviet colours:

- "Azov", ex-"Ion Bratianu";
- "Kerch" (fg) and "Mariupol" (bg);
- "Kerch", ex-"Basarabia", ex-"Inn";
- "Mariupol", ex-Alexandru Lachovari".

[dorupantos]

Dear ANTOINE ,
I'm in point of great delight . I'm waiting for photos like this from my childhood !
Once again THANK YOU !

[Vegaskip]

Great pics Antoin, surely these ships must hold the record for number of guns for size of ship, and they would make great models.

Regards

[dorupantos]

For VEGASKIP ,
Romanian Danube-monitors were well armed but I don't think that is an record of armement/size of the ship . Here is the schema of the armement of Bratianu-class monitors , unfortunally in russian (they are more interested for their ships even captured !!!) , but I'm sure you mannage this litlle problem .
Regards , Doru .

[dorupantos]

Another two pics of ship NMS ROMANIA .

[Vegaskip]

I see what you mean Dopu,After storing away all the amunition there could not have been much space for the crew, which must have been quite large to man all those guns.

Regards

[dorupantos]

Another pic of minelayer AMIRAL MURGESCU in camouflage .

[dorupantos]

Ship ARDEAL .

[dorupantos]

Alba Iulia

[dorupantos]

Ship Dacia before and after becomming minelayer .

[dorupantos]

Ship AURORA before and after becomming as minelayer .

[dorupantos]

The Royal yacht "LUCEAFARUL" (ex-NAHLIN) was renamed after WW2 by the comunists "LIBERTATEA" ('FREEDOM' (freedom for who?)). Nevertheless during hosting comunist staff the yacht looks great !

[dorupantos]

Splendid model of a RRN torpedoboat at the beggining of 20' Century .

[dorupantos]

Nice drawing of RRN monitor ARDEALUL (ex. Austro-Hungarian TEMES) .

[dorupantos]

Rare pic of Romanian Royal Navy monitor I.C.BRATIANU .

[dorupantos]

Sister-ship of BRATIANU-class monitor , austro-hungarian monitor BODROG (after WW1 yugoslavian monitor SAVA). They were sister-ships but they had a minor difference : Bratianu has three main guns and Bodrog only two .

[dorupantos]

RRN Monitor BASARABIA (Austro-Hungarian monitor INN in WW1).

[dorupantos]

RRN Monitor BUCOVINA , ex-Austro-hungarian SAVA .

[dorupantos]

And here are the pictures !!!

[dorupantos]

How strange is the history ! The sister-ship of BUCOVINA , austro-hungarian ENNS has fight with RRN monitors and Danube artillery during WW1 !

[sandy1000]

This is a 2 metre long steam powered model of the Romanian naval ship "Fulgerul".

This photograph is of the crew of the Fulgerul, including the Captain heading off into town on a spree. Does anyone recognise a great grandfather?

[sandy1000]

When Fulgerul was originally built the foremast was mounted on the top centre of the gun turret. How did this work? How did the mast not rotate when the turret was turning?

Incidentally, a belated thank you to all of those kind contributors who provided information previously on Fulgerul - I am most grateful.

As built without a turret.

[sourdough]

Very nice model! Did you build it? I have problems writing my name so it is legible let alone trying to build models. I have much respect for the people that can do this!
Jim

[sandy1000]

Very nice model! Did you build it? I have problems writing my name so it is legible let alone trying to build models. I have much respect for the people that can do this!
Jim

I have built models but not this one. The builder did a good job as you say.

[dorupantos]

I'm fixed from some days on RRN river monitors ! For modellers , pics of Bodrog monitor and crewmen , the same class of RRN Danube monitors BRATIANU-Class . Some details of this ships are verry interesting !

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Good photographs,plenty of details for those who build models.You must have a room full of books of your Navy..Regards Steve.

[sourdough]

Doru, I find those monitors most interesting!:)

[dorupantos]

For SOURDOUGH ,
Another foto of BODROG-class monitor .

[dorupantos]

For SANDY 1000 ,
Three models from Romanain Navy Museum : Capitan Romano-class torpedoboat and later patrol-boat , cruiser Elisabeta and monitor Bratianu .

[steve roberts]

Hi Duro.Those BODROG Class monitors look mean machines.I Take it they were used only on rivers and Harbour defences,not sea going.I dont think I would like to meet even a 1/2 metre wave in one of those,otherwise it would become a submarine...Regards Steve.:D

[dorupantos]

You are right dear STEVE , but on page six there is the photo of monitor BODROG in Odessa at the end of WW1 (Bodrog reached Odessa harbour by sea not by land ) . Of course , any monitor who tried to sail during high waves or storm became a "submarine" ! .

[dorupantos]

Two verry old pics representing Romanian Royal Navy protected cruiser ELISABETA . Cruiser ELISABETA was the flagship of RRN until the end of WW1 .

[dorupantos]

Photos of Constanta harbour at the beggining of WW2 .

[sandy1000]

For SANDY 1000 ,
Three models from Romanain Navy Museum : Capitan Romano-class torpedoboat and later patrol-boat , cruiser Elisabeta and monitor Bratianu .

Multumesc Doru. My kind of ships.

Regards Sandy.

[dorupantos]

Romanian Royal Navy patrol and torpedo-boat (securitty-vesel) at the begining of 20' century .

[dorupantos]

In the left side of this last picture there are two bows of Grivita-class gunboats .

[keblin]

And now a little history . Amiral Murgescu (who gave the name to the most succesfull ship in Romanian Royal Navy in WW2) was the captain of "Randunica"-torpedo motorboat who sunk the turkish monitor "Duba Seifi" during the romanian independence war 1977 .

What year was this?

[dorupantos]

Dear KEBLIN ,
What year of what ?

[keblin]

Dear Dorupantos,

The date of the sinking of the DUBA SEIFI.

Sorry!!! I have just realised its a typing error, and it should have been 1877, not 1977.

I must remember to study your history in more detail!

Still thanks.

[dorupantos]

Dear KEBLIN ,
You are right , It is my fault ! The year is 1877 not 1977 (I tipe too fast).
Also torpedoboat RANDUNICA was lead by russian lt. Dubasov (thank you Antoine for remainding me history that I learned 30 years ago !) and major Murgescu (future admiral) was second in command .
That was a begining of a NOT! "BEAUTIFULL FRIENDSHIP" because in WW1 and end of WW2 russians and soviets have fight with romanian ships under russian and soviet command !(we were allies ? did't we ?)

[dorupantos]

Another classic example :
Romanian Royal Navy ship , submarine-depot ship CONSTANTA (renamed by soviets BUG) feelling so well in soviets waters .

[dorupantos]

For KEBLIN ,
Russian minelayers (actually there was mineboats) in 1880 ( after Romanian Independence War) on Danube , near Galatzi harbour .

[keblin]

Thank You. Great photos.

Much appreciated.

[dorupantos]

Verry rare photo of RRN destroyer REGINA MARIA ( QUEEN MARIA in english)!

[dorupantos]

Romanian Royal Navy most modern minelayer in WW2 "Amiral Murgescu" in large .

[sandy1000]

If you go to youtube and put "model steam gunboat Fulgerul" into searrch you should come up with a 1 minute clip of a model of Fulgerul in action.

[dorupantos]

Thank You Sandy !!!
You Are Great !

[Pedro Ruíz]

Dear friend Dorupantos,hello!:

Many thanks for your excellent work about the Romanian Royal Navy because here in Spain liitle is known about them.

Many thanks for your work.

Pedro

[dorupantos]

French gunboats SURVEILLANTE and DILLIGENTE were sister-ships with RRN gunboat LT. EUGEN STIHI (They were FRIPONNE-class gunboats ).

[dorupantos]

After 23 August 1944 , Soviets came in Constanta-harbour with a lot of cargo-ships and small attack-boats (they don't needed larger ships , they have allready confiscated Romanian Royal Navy-ships by the armistice agreement) . Here are few pics of these interesting boats .

[dorupantos]

During WW2 Germany used U-Boats in Black-Sea . Here are two pics of german U-boats in Constanta-harbour .

[dorupantos]

The hitted german U-boat was exposed in a dock in Constanta (and also , I'm sure , "studied" for the construction of future soviet diesel-submarines in Cold War .

[dorupantos]

Another pics from Constanta-harbour ( WW2 ) in center with CONSTANTA submarine-depot ship . ( unfortounally the quality is not the best )

[dorupantos]

Some interesting photos of RRN destroyer REGINA MARIA .

[nigelweysom]

a very interesting thread with some fine pictures ,
i too was unaware of the Romanian Royal Navy and its history
Nigel

[dorupantos]

DEAR NIGEL ,
Do you know that at the beggining of WW2 Romanian Kingdom 's Army has not only british Vosper-type torpedoboats but also HURRICANE fighters ?
You knew a little about our history and millitary , also by the fault of my countrymen , that are not interested !

[nigelweysom]

DORU i have to say that i realy don't know anything about Romania , well i do now that i have read this thread but that's it so anything that you post will teach me something
Nigel

[dorupantos]

Dear NIGEL ,
If you read my thread from the beggining you found I'm not an historian . If you wanna know more about my country or about his history , you only has to ask !
Manny regards ,
DORU

[dorupantos]

Crew of romanian minelayer DACIA " in action" .

[dorupantos]

The austro-hungarian monitor "INN" have hit a russian mine and sunk near BRAILA-harbour at the end of WW1 . Romania receives this ship like reparations of war after WW1 and this monitor was renamed RRN BASARABIA .
Images from salvage of this ship near BRAILA-harbour .

[steve roberts]

Hi Doru.Nice to see you back with us and posting some more pictures of your beloved RRN.
Many Regards Steve.
PS the salvage ship in photo #3.Do you happen to know if it had a name,or just the #100?

[dorupantos]

I was indebdet for british torpedoboats (type Vosper ) who served in RRN during WW2.
Yesterday I found they are made of wood (mahon )!!!

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Romanian Royal Navy minelayer AMIRAL MURGESCU in Odessa-harbour , after 23 august 1944 (PT-76 in the left side of the photo ).

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Pic of RRN torpedoboat SBORUL .

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Drawings of legendarry RRN submarine DELFINUL .

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Drawings of romanian VOSPER torpedoboat VISCOLUL .

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The BOFFORS-gun of RRN sub DELFINUL .

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More pics and drawings of RRN torpedoboats .

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Crewmen and main gun of torpedoboat VIJELIA .